Australian Molester Sentenced to Caning, 11 Months in Prison in Singapore

An Australian man was sentenced to an 11-month prison sentence in Singapore for molesting two women in separate incidents.

Wade James Burridge, 34, was convicted of two charges of outrage of modesty for victimizing the two women in a span of just two hours, according to the Straits Times.

Burridge, who also faces three strokes of a cane, received his sentence on Wednesday following a conviction of his crimes on Oct 25. He is currently out on $40,000 bail and is said to be filing an appeal. The maximum penalty for a charge of outrage of modesty is two years of jail time, a fine, and caning.

Following the six-day trial in October, Burridge was found guilty of touching a 46-year-old events consultant’s private parts at Mogambo Bar in Canton Street at around 11 p.m. on Oct 8, 2015. The next day, at 12.37 a.m., he then squeezed a 33-year-old physiotherapist’s buttocks at The Mad Men Attic Bar in North Canal Road.

In her testimony, the first victim said she felt Burridge’s hand up her skirt and touch her for about two seconds as he walked behind her. She revealed that she reacted by hitting Burridge before she reported the assault to the general manager of the establishment. The incident was then immediately reported to the police.

The second victim told the court that she noticed Burridge sitting behind and was knocking on her chair for some reason. She then suddenly felt his hands grabbing her waist a few minutes later. As she lost her balance, she felt the man’s hand inside her shorts, squeezing her right butt cheek. The woman said she yelled at the man while grabbing at his collar. After she released him, she proceeded to report the incident and had the authorities called.

Burridge’s lawyer Shashi Nathan appealed that his client had been intoxicated during the incident, urging the court to impose a lower sentence of five to six months instead.

He added that a psychiatrist diagnosed Burridge with major depressive disorder, which worsened by the end a long-term relationship and work stress.

Deputy Public Prosecutor N.K. Anitha has sought for a total sentence of nine months and 10 weeks’ jail with three strokes of the cane for Burridge’s actions. In her ruling, District Judge Hamidah Ibrahim maintained the 11-month prison sentence plus three strokes of caning, noting that both sexual assaults were deliberate.

Burridge, who has a baby boy with his partner of two years, has reportedly been living in Singapore since 2010.

Feature Image via Zaobao

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